One of the things that have been keeping me somewhat in normal routine during this Coronavirus is exercise.

Prior to this response, I have been so consumed in the actual response that there was zero time dedicated to exercise and probably stress relief. That was not good. I understand the importance to normalize yourself during this long duration response.

What’s open? Any thing cool? Nope, not much.

Where do I go? All over, but mainly places that have lots of lights and security cameras.

Yep, happy to report the Bean has not contracted COVID-19 yet.

Since all gyms throughout the State of Illinois are closed, this self-initiated exercise routine makes me feel better and allows me to get some fresh air at night. With not a lot of businesses open and almost everyone working remotely, the city is eerily calm

And if you were wondering, I do wear my mask the entire time.

Also good reminder note to all of you…consider washing your mask on the regular.

@rusnivek

Despite the Coronavirus and a cracked/extracted tooth…the show must go on.

Back at it in the EOC as we have some ugly weather inbound to our area with a late season snowfall expected.

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

And don’t fool yourself, that rapid snow melting isn’t good either. (Think flooding)

It’s times like this that I am so glad we have built a strong relationship with our local National Weather Service Office. In our case, NWS-Chicago is our crew.

In the past few months, we have been are fortunate to partner with NWS-Chicago Mike Bardou to teach the FEMA Basic Academy Science class that is heavy into the science of weather and how it pertains to Emergency Management and the safety of any community. Audience hailed from 4 different FEMA Regions and ultimately provided some outstanding insight into weather forecasting.

This kind of ongoing partnership has allowed our Emergency Management staff to really understand the issues that severe weather brings to our areas and ultimately provides a better way to match the resources with the needs from each community.

Proud to continue our solid relationships with NWS-Chicago.

@rusnivek

Late last night, I found that I definitely can’t talk right.

But my brain and fingers were OK…so I slapped together a press release.

Despite not being able to talk on camera, your hardened and dedicated EAO can still work the magic from behind the scenes supporting the operations.

Now about that Jello cup…

@rusnivek

Decided it would be nice to have some almonds for a change. Seemed healthier than honey roasted peanuts right?

As I was chewing through my first handful, the 4th bite in was….heart stopping.

As soon as I bit, my left rear molar was in some pretty serious pain. Like shooting excruciating pain.

As I was making the emergency appointment with the dentist, I had a weird feeling. Like Han feeling.

After x-rays were shot, I was informed that I would be losing a tooth in a few minutes.

Not chipped, not cracked, not cavity, not root canal…but a complete tooth extraction.

And here we are. The almond cracked my rear molar in half.

Almond=1 vs my tooth=0

The Dentist asked what I do. I said I am currently serving as the External Affairs Officer. He laughed and then said I just bought myself 3 days off of work because I won’t be able to talk properly to anyone…including news reporters and TV interviews. Sigh.

And here we are.

Looks like I’ll be OOS for a few days.

@rusnivek

After a long day as the External Affairs Officer, I noticed that there is a significant amount of gloves and masks scattered on the sidewalks throughout the city.

C’mon now – this is why we can’t have nice things!

Look, I am proud that you opted to wear a mask, but please dispose of them when you are done. By being responsible, we can continue the decrease in spreading Coronavirus. Simple ask huh?

But as I made the turn to the front door, I noticed a bunch of bubbles in the air.

I had to take a deep breath as this little 60-second break was sooo nice. My phone didn’t ring, no checking social media….nothing. Just me and some bubbles floating around on a nice clear day. 

During these stressful times, it’s important to take a few moments to reflect and laugh at simple things. We all have tough jobs that are incredibly demanding.

As professionals, we all need to find outlets on how we can de-stress, de-clutter, and disengage for a bit. Honestly, I am not that good at any of these three things, but I am making a more converted effort in 2020.

If you were wondering, my brief bubblemania trance was stopped after a meres 60 seconds as my phone rang. It was the Chicago Tribune.

Sigh.

“Emergency Management, this is Kevin. Can I help you?”

@rusnivek

Phew! Saturday looking a bit better.

TP for me!  TP for me!  TP for me!

This looks waaaaaaaaaaaay more promising than what I saw on March 28th.

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but we don’t need to hoard TP.

Reporting from the paper goods isle at Target…

@rusnivek

Aside from our healthcare professionals who are front line of this emergency, we need to think of all those Firefighters and Police Officers who also interact with patients every minute.

24 hours a day, we have emergency response officials risking their lives to save those who need help the most.

The solution isn’t as easy as sending gloves and masks to the hospital.

The solution isn’t as easy as tell people to stay home.

It’s more of a complex response that requires logistics, planning, and proper all-hazards execution so that we can consistently beat the odds when it comes to Coronavirus.

And this country isn’t all the same. Each part of the country has specific needs and response officials need to act accordingly to address those gaps.

This battle isn’t over yet…we have lots more to do.

Emergency Management is the main coordinating agency for this all-hazards response.

@rusnivek

Aside from fielding media calls all day long, we are regularly facing an onslaught of contacts on various platforms.

For those that were wondering how open should your agency be on social media, I love it. However, you need to manage expectations and balance your time. Like you can’t be 100% social media right? You likely have social media as “other duties as assigned” right?

We often talk about it in class and regularly about how important it is to assess platforms. Prioritizing your platforms esp focused on where your audiences live is critical on how you spend your time passing good/trusted information.

So I love to see that agencies are on various social media platforms because we pledge transparency and openness. But please make sure your agency can respond timely to any requests that come through. You don’t want media inquiries lost in space.

@rusnivek

To help further reduce the spread of the Coronavirus, the City of Chicago has instituted a stop on all liquor sales starting Thursday April 9, 2020 at 2100.

No vodka for you!

Imagine if you were the lead PIO and had to tell people that in addition to your shelter in place order, and always wear a mask, and frequently wash your hands…now you cannot purchase liquor too.

Interesting as it’s being labeled as a “Public Health Order” huh.

I am sure pros will debate this preventive Coronavirus action for years.

@rusnivek